This April marks the 22nd anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), though advocating for victims and creating awareness of this violence goes back decades. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center website has an in-depth history of the movement, and makes the point that “It’s impossible to prevent an issue no one knows about, and it’s difficult to make people aware of a problem without providing a solution. The two work in tandem, and they always have. From the civil rights movement to the founding of the first rape crisis centers to national legislation and beyond, the roots of SAAM run deep.”
- This societal scourge is shockingly common, with the following data pulled from the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA) website:
- Nearly 1 in 5 women, and 1 in 71 men, have been raped in their lifetime.
- 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually assaulted by the age of 18.
- 1 in 5 women is sexually assaulted while in college.
- More than 25% of transgender individuals have been sexually assaulted after the age of 13.
It is important to remember that – as the SACASA website shares – “sexual assault is any sexual activity where consent is not freely given by an individual.” Forms of sexual assault include rape, molestation, incest, harassment, partner/marital rape, indecent exposure, stalking, exhibitionism, and voyeurism. It also includes “any situations in which a person may be under the influence of any substance, is unconscious or has a disability and cannot consent to sexual activity.”
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, SACASA provides crisis services, advocacy, support, therapy, and education for individuals and families impacted by sexual trauma. SACASA has a 24/7 Crisis Line at (520) 327-7273 or toll-free at (800) 400-1001.
At main campus, the UArizona’s Consortium on Gender-Based Violence offers a variety of programs, including several events this month in recognition of SAAM.